McCain vs. Obama: More on the debate

"Obama [on Saturday] called Republican rival John McCain out of touch with middle-class Americans, telling supporters that the GOP senator never once uttered the words 'middle class' during their first debate," the AP writes. "'Through 90 minutes of debate, John McCain had a lot to say about me, but he didn't have anything to say about you,' Obama told a cheering crowd at the J. Douglas Galyon Depot in downtown Greensboro. 'He didn't even say the words 'middle class.' He didn't even say the words 'working people.'"

"A pair of one-night polls gave Barack Obama a clear edge over John McCain in their first presidential debate."

But both candidates were a little fast and loose with the facts. The Boston Globe has a (lengthy) fact check on both.

The Boston Globe's Canellos scores the debate for Obama. "McCain … tried hard to make the first presidential debate a test of Barack Obama's fitness for office. McCain succeeded in his framing of the test - but Obama passed it… But with the majority of the debate focused on foreign policy - where McCain's superiority was assumed, and Obama's vulnerability was greatest - the lack of a clear winner benefits Obama more than McCain."

The Des Moines Register's Yepsen says McCain won the debate. "It was one of the most substantive debates in recent presidential campaign history and John McCain won it. The Arizona senator was cool, informed and forceful in Friday's first presidential debate of the general election campaign. He repeatedly put Barack Obama on the defensive throughout the 90 minutes session. Obama did little to ease voter concerns that he's experienced enough to handle foreign and defense policy. That was his number one task Friday night and he failed."